Photo by D. Sharon Pruitt.

April showers bring May flowers, but come June, sometimes the situation sours. From a reader in New Zealand:

“I’m diligently avoiding PVC plastics, but cannot find a good quality non-PVC garden hose. We have particularly high water pressure, so we need a hose that can withstand the pressure.”

Read on for Umbra’s response. Hopefully her answer doesn’t rubber the wrong way. And remember, choosing the right plants for the right location means you’ll have to haul out that hose less often.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of our Ask Umbra advice column, and to celebrate, we’re pulling a favorite gem of eco-advice out of the archives each week.